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Chapter 2: The Path of Yoga and the Path of Tantra

Osho,What is the difference between traditional yoga and tantra? Are they the same?

Tantra and yoga are basically different. They reach to the same goal; however, their paths are not only different, but contrary also. So this has to be understood very clearly.

The yoga process is also methodology; yoga is also technique. Yoga is not philosophy, just like Tantra - yoga depends on action, method, technique. Doing leads to being in yoga also, but the process is different. In yoga one has to fight; it is the path of the warrior. On the path of Tantra one does not have to fight at all. Rather, on the contrary, one has to indulge - but with awareness.

Yoga is suppression with awareness; Tantra is indulgence with awareness. Tantra says that whatsoever you are, the ultimate is not opposite to it. It is a growth; you can grow to be the ultimate. There is no opposition between you and the reality. You are part of it, so no struggle, no conflict, no opposition to nature is needed. You have to use nature; you have to use whatsoever you are to go beyond.

In yoga you have to fight with yourself to go beyond. In yoga, the world and moksha, liberation - you as you are and you as you can be - are two opposite things. Suppress, fight, dissolve that which you are so that you can attain that which you can be. Going beyond is a death in yoga. You must die for your real being to be born.

In the eyes of Tantra, yoga is a deep suicide. You must kill your natural self - your body, your instincts, your desires, everything. Tantra says accept yourself as you are. It is a deep acceptance. Do not create a gap between you and the real, between the world and nirvana. Do not create any gap. There is no gap for Tantra; no death is needed. For your rebirth, no death is needed - rather, a transcendence. For this transcendence, use yourself.